Please analyze my budget

delmar - that is an awesome budget! one question, what does sinking fund mean? and do you put the same amount in each "account" every payday? every month? How does this work and can you tell me what a reasonable amount of money would be for DH and I and 2 kids for clothing each year?

A sinking fund is a savings acct for that item. It can be broken out on paper or literally in seperate savings accts. I lump all sinking funds into one savings acct and then keep track of the amounts on paper. We keep a seperate e-fund acct and another seperate account for the house down payment money.

I put the same amounts in each month. It's not always the same each payday but equals out to the same at the end of the month.

For clothing it really depends on what you all need and what type of clothes. We budget around $2000/yr for 6 people including shoes and school uniforms. We 'sink' $110/mth but I set aside $250 3x/yr since I know I will need to buy a lot of things at once during those times. I buy ahead when I find bargains and since I've already set money aside I can just transfer that into our checking acct w/o it hurting our weekly budget.
 
pvalues I do understand where you are coming from. Would you say its important to "pay yourself" first like I've read so many places..this seems backwards to me - shouldn't I be paying the "lights and heat" first? We are doing much better financially now compared to a few years ago (we made a fraction of what we make now) amazing how as your income grows so does your spending without even thinking about it. Back then cell phones/internet/cable/kids activities/new clothes for the girls etc would have been a luxury I would have given anything for!
 
Yes the $20 a month for HD and cable could help towards the debt reduction but I dont think that $20 a month is the reason we're living paycheck to paycheck know what I mean?

I haven't yet given up our cable or DVR either but at the same time, look at it as $240 you could save in a year, that adds up when you combine it with $360 savings if you can cut back on your cell by $30 a month, etc. Pretty soon, you are over a $1000 a year to put towards something else. When I get discouraged about the "little" changes, just remember, they do add up.

For your budget, I would suggest shopping your car & rental insurance. We have managed to knock hundreds off our car ins for the same coverage. I am not brand loyal to an agent and shop every renewal.

Also, is your phone/cable/internet bundled? That might help save a few $. Call your providers for each & see if you can get a better deal for loyal customers or look around at switching.

We changed phone providers & it was painless, never even knew there was a change, number transferred & our bill is lower. Same w/cable. We have directv & I called & nicely explained we were long term customers but getting many great offers to change. He gave us a $50 credit, $10 off for 12 mo & free DVR service for a year. If they give you a first offer, nicely ask if that is the best that they can do. That got us the DVR on top of the first offer.

I know my kids have their fav outfits & ignore some other stuff. I have quit buying so much because no matter how much they have, they still wear their top choices more often than not.

Having a yard sale or selling on craigslist would also help raise some $ you can throw at the debts, once they're gone, that's more $ in your pocket towards other stuff. Good luck! I think you wipe out those cc pretty quickly if you can make some changes & cut back in a few areas.
 
A sinking fund is a savings acct for that item. It can be broken out on paper or literally in seperate savings accts. I lump all sinking funds into one savings acct and then keep track of the amounts on paper. We keep a seperate e-fund acct and another seperate account for the house down payment money.

I put the same amounts in each month. It's not always the same each payday but equals out to the same at the end of the month.

For clothing it really depends on what you all need and what type of clothes. We budget around $2000/yr for 6 people including shoes and school uniforms. We 'sink' $110/mth but I set aside $250 3x/yr since I know I will need to buy a lot of things at once during those times. I buy ahead when I find bargains and since I've already set money aside I can just transfer that into our checking acct w/o it hurting our weekly budget.

I love this idea for clothes much better than mine. While it is fun to go on a little shopping spree I agree its probably way too much and I will admit we give a lot of clothes away that I cant remember them wearing more than just a few times.
 

I love this idea for clothes much better than mine. While it is fun to go on a little shopping spree I agree its probably way too much and I will admit we give a lot of clothes away that I cant remember them wearing more than just a few times.

I also keep a list of what the kids need and cross off when I get it. That way they don't end up with like 50 pants and no tops. :laughing: (I started that when I ended up in that type of situation! :rolleyes1 )

And I personally don't think your cable is over priced. We pay $120/mth for cable/internet and then the phone is through Vonage for $20/mth (pre-paid 1x/yr). It's nothing fancy but it is our only entertainment.
 
It sounds like your DH needs a cell phone with all the bells and whitles, so he's better off with a monthly plan. But how about you? If you don't use your cell all that much, then you may be better off getting a pre-paid phone if you aren't under contract. I spend $100 a YEAR on my cell and have more than enough minutes, in fact I usually have minutes left over that get rolled over when I re-up in the fall. I have t-mobile pre-paid, if interested let me know and I'll give you the details.

I've taken to making my own pizza's at home for about $5 each. I buy fresh pre-made dough at Trader Joe's, and I can make a pizza and bake it in less time than it takes to call, order, and have it delivered. It's also a lot healthier, and IMO, tastes a lot better! :) I also make my own crazy bread, tastes just as good as Pizza Hut or Little Ceasars and it's a fraction of the the cost, if you want to know how to make those, again just ask.

If you know that, even with the best of intentions, that you'll be eating out a few times a month, go ahead and budget that in. Then keep a lookout for coupons and discounts at your fav restaurants. If your fave italian place has a "kids eat free" promotion on Tuesdays, then go on a Tuesday! Order water instead of soft drinks, have desert at home, split an entree, there are a lot of ways to eat out and do it for less.

As for groceries, if you buy individual wraped whatever to put in your kids lunches, price out what it would cost to buy a big bag/box of whatever and see if it's cheaper to just divide it up yourself (chips, cookies, juice, etc.). Use resuable containers and overtime you'll save money on not having to buy baggies (plus it's good for the enviroment! :) ).

Try having breakfast for dinner one night, meatless meals, and leftovers to stretch your grocery dollar a bit further. Homemade pancakes are cheap and fun, plus it's something different.

And coupons! Clip them out of the paper and if your stores accept them, print them out online. Get multiple coupns if you can for the items you get most, then save the coupons until those items go on sale. I've gotten items for 75% off or more by doing this. Stock up as much as you can when items are on sale and then use that stock for when they are regular price. When they go on sale again a few weeks/months later, refill your pantry! I've got like 20 boxes of Mac N Cheese in my pantry as I write this, I'm probably good for the rest of the year. But I saved 75 cents or so a box, so it adds up! Right now I'm waiting for canned soup coupons to start showing up again. Soups go on sale in the fall and winter and you can find tons of coupons for them as well. I'll heat up a can of soup and then make buttmilk biscuts from scratch. Makes a very filling meal on a cold fall day, and only costs pennies after getting a can of soup for 50 cents when it retails at $2.50!

BTW, you budget didn't include life insurance. You do have life insurance...right? If not you need to shop around for a term (stay away from whole, universal, etc. Just shop for term) policy for both you and your husband. God forbid, but should something happen to one of you and there isn't any insurance, you'll be up a creek in a hurry. Yes it's an added expense at a time when you're trying to cut back, but it's esential to have for a family with kids. If you do have insurance but it is through your employer, you should still consider getting your own policy. If you leave that job for whatever reason, your insurance goes away. YOu should also check into disability insurance if you don't have a policy already. Disabilities can be just as financially devistating as a death, and should be prepared for accordingly. And statisiclly, your more likely to be disabled than die young.
 
Agreeing with the many who have given advice here. Every DIME needs to be accounted for.

We buy most of our clothing items at thrift stores. We have some great ones around here. I also garage sale.....that is my retail therapy!

Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book is a MUST for those who want to get serious about their money/debt/spending.

I would say that 90% of the folks out there complaining about money don't need to earn more, they need to spend less! Our society is built on debt.

We started Dave Ramsey 3 years ago. Within 2 years we had paid off our two cars and our student loans. We didn't have credit card debt, but we always assumed a car loan was "normal." Now we hope to NEVER have one again.....we have a sinking fund for a new (to us) car should we need to buy one.

This is just MY opinion, but if I were in your shoes, I would start calculating every penny, get some envelopes going (cash in envelopes for each category) and keep diligent track of your $$......with your surplus you should be able to

Pay off your car
Save for a downpayment for a mortgage
Pay off any other loan
have an emergency fund
and save for vacation
 
Thank you so much! Any ideas what where the extra 1200 a month should be going?

No flames from me it's not my $1,200 being spent without any idea lol. If this is true that your husband only spends $20 a week and NEVER uses his credit card or debt card then you have to track where you are spending the money. SOMEONE is spending the extra $1,200 somewhere. I'm not being ugly just factual that you don't know where it's going or how it got there. Even at $1,000 a month going to no where you could be saving $12,000 in a year.

You don't have an emergency fund set up you mentioned. I would set up an automatic draft to a seperate account of $50-100 every month. Do it in payments of $25 a week if you'd like. Don't touch it unless something is broken or someone is bleeding. Let it grow.

Your minimum payment on your credit cards is $30 and you throw $20 more on it. Is there a reason why you don't want to pay more on it? The quicker it is paid off, the more money back in your own pocket. Especially if you are paying a huge interest rate. Look at your bill, really look at it and see how much you pay interest a month. Subtract the interest amount from the amount due and that is how much you are paying on the principle. It could take years for you to pay it off at this rate especially if you don't stop using the cards.

Do you budget eating out? This means dinner at mcdonalds and pizza being delivered or donuts before church. I would suggest you keep an envelope in your purse with say $200(and I'm being generous) and that is for nothing but eating out. Write down on the envelope everytime you dip into it where you ate and the amount spent. It really is an eye opener.

I still think you are paying way too much on your cell phone bill though. We have t-mobile and spend under $100 a month for 700 or 800 mins and unlimited texting for 2 phone lines on a family plan. Also, in this context of not needing the internet but it is ONLY $10 a month is part of the problem of not knowing where your money is going. Ten dollars a month multipled by a year is $120 that could be going to something else like credit card debt. Really it's just something to keep your husband entertained; I think he'd be okay without it.

I understand about wanting your girls to look good at school but I guess I still think $800 is a lot for two kids. Do you look for sales or frequent shopper discounts or sign up on websites? All this can help you save money. Right now old navy has kids jeans on sale for $10 each.

What do you do with the girls' old clothes? Have you thought about a consigment shop or selling them at a yard sale?

Part of the budget is changing the way you think. Instead of oh it's just $10 here or $20 there, think of how often you are doing this and how much it adds up to in the end.
 
No flames from me it's not my $1,200 being spent without any idea lol. If this is true that your husband only spends $20 a week and NEVER uses his credit card or debt card then you have to track where you are spending the money. SOMEONE is spending the extra $1,200 somewhere. I'm not being ugly just factual that you don't know where it's going or how it got there. Even at $1,000 a month going to no where you could be saving $12,000 in a year.

You don't have an emergency fund set up you mentioned. I would set up an automatic draft to a seperate account of $50-100 every month. Do it in payments of $25 a week if you'd like. Don't touch it unless something is broken or someone is bleeding. Let it grow.

Your minimum payment on your credit cards is $30 and you throw $20 more on it. Is there a reason why you don't want to pay more on it? The quicker it is paid off, the more money back in your own pocket. Especially if you are paying a huge interest rate. Look at your bill, really look at it and see how much you pay interest a month. Subtract the interest amount from the amount due and that is how much you are paying on the principle. It could take years for you to pay it off at this rate especially if you don't stop using the cards.

Do you budget eating out? This means dinner at mcdonalds and pizza being delivered or donuts before church. I would suggest you keep an envelope in your purse with say $200(and I'm being generous) and that is for nothing but eating out. Write down on the envelope everytime you dip into it where you ate and the amount spent. It really is an eye opener.

I still think you are paying way too much on your cell phone bill though. We have t-mobile and spend under $100 a month for 700 or 800 mins and unlimited texting for 2 phone lines on a family plan. Also, in this context of not needing the internet but it is ONLY $10 a month is part of the problem of not knowing where your money is going. Ten dollars a month multipled by a year is $120 that could be going to something else like credit card debt. Really it's just something to keep your husband entertained; I think he'd be okay without it.

I understand about wanting your girls to look good at school but I guess I still think $800 is a lot for two kids. Do you look for sales or frequent shopper discounts or sign up on websites? All this can help you save money. Right now old navy has kids jeans on sale for $10 each.

What do you do with the girls' old clothes? Have you thought about a consigment shop or selling them at a yard sale?

Part of the budget is changing the way you think. Instead of oh it's just $10 here or $20 there, think of how often you are doing this and how much it adds up to in the end.

I shouldn't say I have no idea where its going because I do, I just dont budget it,...it goes to Christmas, birthdays, clothes, misc purchases, money the kids need for school, ordering out once a week etc. So it is being spent on things that just happen with life, I just dont put a dollar amount on it so every month...its gone and a new tire puts us in trouble quick because of this!
 
It sounds like your DH needs a cell phone with all the bells and whitles, so he's better off with a monthly plan. But how about you? If you don't use your cell all that much, then you may be better off getting a pre-paid phone if you aren't under contract. I spend $100 a YEAR on my cell and have more than enough minutes, in fact I usually have minutes left over that get rolled over when I re-up in the fall. I have t-mobile pre-paid, if interested let me know and I'll give you the details.

I've taken to making my own pizza's at home for about $5 each. I buy fresh pre-made dough at Trader Joe's, and I can make a pizza and bake it in less time than it takes to call, order, and have it delivered. It's also a lot healthier, and IMO, tastes a lot better! :) I also make my own crazy bread, tastes just as good as Pizza Hut or Little Ceasars and it's a fraction of the the cost, if you want to know how to make those, again just ask.

If you know that, even with the best of intentions, that you'll be eating out a few times a month, go ahead and budget that in. Then keep a lookout for coupons and discounts at your fav restaurants. If your fave italian place has a "kids eat free" promotion on Tuesdays, then go on a Tuesday! Order water instead of soft drinks, have desert at home, split an entree, there are a lot of ways to eat out and do it for less.

As for groceries, if you buy individual wraped whatever to put in your kids lunches, price out what it would cost to buy a big bag/box of whatever and see if it's cheaper to just divide it up yourself (chips, cookies, juice, etc.). Use resuable containers and overtime you'll save money on not having to buy baggies (plus it's good for the enviroment! :) ).

Try having breakfast for dinner one night, meatless meals, and leftovers to stretch your grocery dollar a bit further. Homemade pancakes are cheap and fun, plus it's something different.

And coupons! Clip them out of the paper and if your stores accept them, print them out online. Get multiple coupns if you can for the items you get most, then save the coupons until those items go on sale. I've gotten items for 75% off or more by doing this. Stock up as much as you can when items are on sale and then use that stock for when they are regular price. When they go on sale again a few weeks/months later, refill your pantry! I've got like 20 boxes of Mac N Cheese in my pantry as I write this, I'm probably good for the rest of the year. But I saved 75 cents or so a box, so it adds up! Right now I'm waiting for canned soup coupons to start showing up again. Soups go on sale in the fall and winter and you can find tons of coupons for them as well. I'll heat up a can of soup and then make buttmilk biscuts from scratch. Makes a very filling meal on a cold fall day, and only costs pennies after getting a can of soup for 50 cents when it retails at $2.50!

BTW, you budget didn't include life insurance. You do have life insurance...right? If not you need to shop around for a term (stay away from whole, universal, etc. Just shop for term) policy for both you and your husband. God forbid, but should something happen to one of you and there isn't any insurance, you'll be up a creek in a hurry. Yes it's an added expense at a time when you're trying to cut back, but it's esential to have for a family with kids. If you do have insurance but it is through your employer, you should still consider getting your own policy. If you leave that job for whatever reason, your insurance goes away. YOu should also check into disability insurance if you don't have a policy already. Disabilities can be just as financially devistating as a death, and should be prepared for accordingly. And statisiclly, your more likely to be disabled than die young.


Thanks for the tips I really think alot of these will work for us - no we dont have any life insurance but I know we need it and soon. I will look into this as well.
 
I shouldn't say I have no idea where its going because I do, I just dont budget it,...it goes to Christmas, birthdays, clothes, misc purchases, money the kids need for school, ordering out once a week etc. So it is being spent on things that just happen with life, I just dont put a dollar amount on it so every month...its gone and a new tire puts us in trouble quick because of this!

Well it looks like you have an idea what the problem is but unless you're attaching a dollar amount to each expense, you don't have a serious budget. All of those things that you listed are not "things that happen with life". They should be planned expenditures.

"Things that happen with life" are unplanned expenses like broken washing machines, emergency room co-pays and auto insurance deductibles for fender benders. Those are the things that emergency funds cover.
 
One important thing I have learned lately is to completely get rid of that "miscellaneous" category. That category is for things that you didn't budget for. Start budgeting for everything. I also just wanted to thank you for starting this thread. Although I do have a budget and know where my money is going, I have gotten some great ideas and received good tips of how to tighten my own budget. So, thanks to all those that posted here and shared their tips!:thumbsup2
 
One important thing I have learned lately is to completely get rid of that "miscellaneous" category. That category is for things that you didn't budget for. Start budgeting for everything. I also just wanted to thank you for starting this thread. Although I do have a budget and know where my money is going, I have gotten some great ideas and received good tips of how to tighten my own budget. So, thanks to all those that posted here and shared their tips!:thumbsup2

Actually, I do have a miscellaneous catagory in my budget because there are things that I just forget about, or never thought of, or something new we've decided to buy/do that doesn't fit into an existing catagory. We don't spend it every month, but it's there if needed. I think those starting off on a new budget should leave a "misc." catagory, at least at the begining, because there is bound to be something they forgot about, a yearly membership or subscription for example. If nothing pops up that month, they can save it or put it towards debt pay down. As they get better at it, the amount they put in "misc." can shrink until it's maybe only $50 to $100 a month, just for those nickle and dime "Oh gee I fogot my magazine subscription to Kniting Quarterly is due this month" type of things.

But if 25% of your monthly take home is labled "miscellaneous" then yes, that's a problem!
 
I forgot to mention 401k's because last year when ours started tanking we stoped contributing (against all expert advise I know) but with adding college and retirement I feel like we wont be able to enjoy our money ya know?

This statement is what scares me the most. You have enough money left over each month, you NEED to re-start your retirement contributions. My parents had the "they want to be able to enjoy our money" mindset when they were younger. Now they are 64 and 66, with virtually no money saved. My dad is in a nursing home on Medicaid and mom is moving (yet again) to a cheaper apartment in hopes that she can afford this longer than the last 2 apartments. My mom has cried more times than I can count over their financial situation, the stress it has caused our relationship is immense. I've had to become their personal bookkeeper...mom asks me for permission whenever she wants something out of the ordinary. Is this the kind of life you want your children to have when you are older? If not, then do something about it and start putting money back NOW! We can't rely on Social Security to be around when we retire...

Back to the original topic. I have probably a dozen categories for our budget that have been developed based on how we spend our money. We track ALL our money, so I can tell you how much we spend on clothing over a 12month period. That amount is divided by 12 and that's what we budget each month. Some months it's used, while other months we don't touch it at all. It still sits there ready for when we do need it. The important thing about a budget is that it needs to be tweeked, especially in the beginning. If you lock yourself into something it will be harder to succeed. You need to think of this as a learning experience.

Another thing to help keep you motivated...make a spreadsheet showing how much you pay in interest each month. Keep track of it and once that amount starts to drop it will help you maintain your momentum.

Good luck!:grouphug:
 
Let me repeat what others here are saying: WRITE DOWN EVERY DIME YOU SPEND FOR AT LEAST A MONTH. You NEED to know where your money is going. $1,200 a month unaccounted for? I honestly cannot imagine that.

If you are serious about saving money you first need to know where it goes. You need to budget for those things that happen so that you can build some savings.

I highly recommend you check out Dave Ramsey. He can help you get serious about your budget, paying off your debt and building your savings.
 
How many savings accounts do you have? What are they for?
We have a checking for paying the bill. There is an emergency fund savings that can transfer into the checking. The rest is in our investment account.



Do you buy your childrens clothes monthly or seasonally?
I try to buy needs at the end of the season. I will buy during the season for needs (but on sale). We also buy for our neice and nephew.


How often do you take a vacation?
A vacation is a luxury that is saved for. It is never taken unless all other bills are current (we pay our CCs off each month). When we have the money then we plan a vacation. If we want to take more than one vacation we must plan around that money.

Do you think we could afford a vacation with our income?
Yes. It may not be to Disney but you can go camping, visit a distant relative or the like.

Can we afford a home?
The question is can I afford it now, probably not, but certainly in the future. I would not be in any hurry to trade your low rent for a mortgage. One can always afford a home if they save for a downpayment (20% is best but save atleast 10%) and make sure that your payments are not more than 28% of your gross.

How often do you grocery shop and how much do you spend for a family of 4?
This is one that I would not be good at helping you with. We tend to spend far more than many I have read on this board.




Compared to I guess average Americans we do not have much debt DH has about $300 in unpaid medical bills I have about $4000 worth of credit card debt (all charge offs now I know I know bad mistake) I have about $25,000 in student loans which are paid on time every month. We do not own our own home (another goal) and have 1 vehicle with a loan of about $6000 left - payments are also current on this.

Take home pay for a regular month with 4 paychecks (well I get paid bi weekly but you know what I mean)
INCOME TOTAL (AFTER TAXES AND HEALTH INSURANCE)
$4040
BABYSITTING 80 (babysitter just gets the kids off the bus and waits with them for about an hour until I get home)
RENT 450
PROPANE 160 budgeted amount sometimes we have to pay a little more when its time to get our tank filled this varies
STUDENT LOAN 200
CELLPHONES 140
CABLE/INTERNET/PHONE 160
CAR PAYMENT 332
DEBT 100 ($50 on each of our credit cards one balance is $338 and the other is $1050)
CAR INS/RENTERS INS 120
ELECTRIC 100 (this varies and is sometimes less but I always pay $100 to make up for months that might be more)
FOOD $150 WEEK SO $600 A MONTH
GAS $40 A WEEK SO $160 A MONTH
KIDS ACTIVITIES $142
LEAVES $1296 a month if I calculated right
Every month this is what happens - I get lazy order pizza at least once a week, kids need something, DH wants something, stop at the store here and there and before we know it we're wishing it was payday again. What is wrong with us?
Right now we have no savings and it disgusts me that we blow $1200 a month! In all fairness up until a few months ago we were putting out another $600 a month in child care but now that the kids are starting school that expense is gone.

We are a little behind in our utilities but will be caught up with them by October (I have to also get the kids school clothes and supplies for 2 kids I was thinking $950 total

First you need to track where all of your money goes. What is the money pit? Pizza will not be all the money.

$950 is far too much for back to school. I bought everything for my niece and nephew and did it for under $400. That is winter coats, boots, shoes, sneakers, winter PJs and 7-8 outfits each. I shop clearance at the end of the year, when possible (thus the winter coats already). The kids are in the same age as yours.
 
One important thing I have learned lately is to completely get rid of that "miscellaneous" category. That category is for things that you didn't budget for. Start budgeting for everything. I also just wanted to thank you for starting this thread. Although I do have a budget and know where my money is going, I have gotten some great ideas and received good tips of how to tighten my own budget. So, thanks to all those that posted here and shared their tips!:thumbsup2

Actually, I do have a miscellaneous catagory in my budget because there are things that I just forget about, or never thought of, or something new we've decided to buy/do that doesn't fit into an existing catagory. We don't spend it every month, but it's there if needed. I think those starting off on a new budget should leave a "misc." catagory, at least at the begining, because there is bound to be something they forgot about, a yearly membership or subscription for example. If nothing pops up that month, they can save it or put it towards debt pay down. As they get better at it, the amount they put in "misc." can shrink until it's maybe only $50 to $100 a month, just for those nickle and dime "Oh gee I fogot my magazine subscription to Kniting Quarterly is due this month" type of things.

But if 25% of your monthly take home is labled "miscellaneous" then yes, that's a problem!

I keep a MISC line item on our budget. For example: That is where I would account for a new toaster, if the toaster broke that month.
 
pvalues I agree those are luxuries but I'm sure you can tell from our budget that is the only luxury. So I dont feel we're being too loose with our money as far as our entertainment is concerned. Yes the $20 a month for HD and cable could help towards the debt reduction but I dont think that $20 a month is the reason we're living paycheck to paycheck know what I mean?

I hate to point this out but - blowing $1200 a month is a luxury!! You have no idea where that money went. Eating out, new clothes, etc are all luxuries. you do not NEED them.

I am not trying to be harsh, I am just trying to tell it like it is - you have to come to terms with the fact that you are blowing $1200 a month on luxuries before you ever have a chance to change.

Here are links to a Canadian version of Dave Ramsay - GAIL ROCKS!!!

http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/

http://www.slice.ca/Shows/ShowsPage.aspx?Title_ID=93097
 
Sorry if this was already addressed, but when I wondered where all of our money was going, I sat down and tried to think of EVERYTHING we spend money on. i added to that list over a few days. One really big item I hadn't included in my monthly expenses was GIFTS!! I added up what we spend on my 3DDs bdays (including their kid parties, going out to eat for bday dinner, presents) plus Mother's Day, Father's Day, families' bdays, Christmas and the presents I buy other children for parties my kids are invited to. Guess what, once added up and divided by 12, I had to add the line item "GIFTS" for a sum of $250 per month! We've since started cutting down presents with extended family and limiting parties my kids go to or getting good deals on presents, but I was thoroughly shocked at how much that was for us! And I'm sure it's a lot more for other people. Anyways, since it was so much, I actually created a separate account on ING for these things so it wasn't so hard at Christmas time.
 
Inspired by the OP, DH and I just signed up with mint. If you use your debit card instead of paying cash it is AWESOME because it uploads your account information, you categorize it, and it tells you WHERE YOU ARE SPENDING YOUR MONEY.

Scary first step for us, but VERY eye opening.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Mrs. SPratt
 


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